The Week 1 matchup between Manitowoc Lutheran and Howards Grove wasn’t expected to be a heavyweight fight.

The two teams had won a combined three games in 2016, but both coaches were optimistic.

“I think every year when you start, you have that hopeful anticipation,” Lutheran coach Dave Uhlhorn said.

Even after Howards Grove prevailed 22-20, neither coach saw the Lancers and Tigers combining for 15 wins this year.

“Whether it’s right or wrong, I never would have predicted we go 8-1,” Howards Grove coach Dave Schmid said. “Our first goal was to make the playoffs by going at least 4-4 in conference.”

Said Uhlhorn, “I wouldn’t say we’d go 7-2 like we were but I thought we’d be competitive.”

For two teams that have struggled in recent years, the resurgence has been the reward for the faith of the players.

“There’s lessons in everything in life,” Uhlhorn said. “The last two years were humbling for the boys but maybe made this year all the more rewarding.”

Said Schmid, “After missing the playoffs in ‘15 and ‘16, they decided playing in the playoffs and extending the season by a few weeks is more fun than staying at home.”

It’s also not surprising that Lutheran and Howards Grove feature strong senior classes.

“I think we brought back a lot of the key players we had the last couple years and have a few juniors and a sophomore who complement them well,” Uhlhorn said.

Said Schmid, “The biggest thing is our senior class. We’ve had a small number of senior classes in the past which forced this group to get varsity experience as early as sophomores. When I have a double-digit senior class instead of the four we had last year, that helps.”

It’s no surprise then that it’s a pair of senior running backs who lead the way for the two offenses.

Howards Grove’s Jack Peterson’s 1,134 yards rushing are second in the Big East, while Lutheran’s Brock Staudt has 981 and is fifth.

“We talked about it briefly how Lancer football had a reputation as a run-based offense and stifling defense. It’s nice to see that come back a little bit,” Uhlhorn said.

Schmid said Peterson’s season was a result of his dedication in the offseason.

“Jack was a good player as a junior but he decided to bust his butt in the offseason. Now he’s a great player,” Schmid said.

With the regular season complete, it’s time for the Lancers and Tigers to focus on hosting playoff games against Cambridge and Valders, respectively.

Schmid said while his team hasn’t faced the Vikings recently, he knows it’s going to be a battle.

“Honestly, seeding doesn’t mean much when you get to the playoffs because everyone has different conferences,” Schmid said. “It’s the playoffs, so the top half of the teams in the state are still alive, there’s no bad teams.”

Uhlhorn joked that when getting ready for Cambridge, it took a little basic research.

“Had to find it on a map first of all because some of us didn’t know where it was,” Uhlhorn said.

Still, there’s the added bonus for Lutheran about being able to host a playoff game at its own field for the first time. Up until a grant from the NFL four years ago, Lancer Field wasn’t up to code for WIAA playoff standards.

“We’ve had to play games at Municipal, one time in Reedsville and we’ve even given up the right to host a game before,” Uhlhorn said. “So for this group of seniors to have the type of season they’ve had and get to play at least one more game at Lancer Field, that’s special.”